RIVER PROBLEMS IN CHINA 



The Ked Biver, 



This stream debouches in French Indo-China but has a 

 large part of the watershed in Yunnan. There are three 

 large branches which unite just above Hanoi. Floods occur 

 not infrequently and it is understood that the French Govern- 

 ment has under consideration definite conservancy and pro- 

 tective measures. 



The West Elver. 



Owing to severe floods in 1914 (followed by worse in 

 1915) the Board of Conservancy Works of Kwangtung was 

 created and investigation work started. 



Much detail on the subject of this river is given in the 

 Engineer-in-Chief , Captain Olivecrona's Eeport No. 1 entitled 

 The West Kiver Survey of 1915 " (Board of Conservancy 

 Works of Kwangtung). 



The catchment area is some 131,274 sq. miles. The 

 total length is about 1,112 miles (301 miles in Yunnan, 

 230 miles in the Kweichow-Kwangsi border, 385 miles in 

 Kuangsi and 196 miles in Kwangtung), of which the last 

 87 miles lies in the delta. At Wuchow a change of level of 

 21 feet occurred in 24 hours in 1914. 



The dykes are repeatedly breached and in some places 

 overtopped by the flood waters. 



Dykes from 10 to 30 feet high protected the plain and 

 the conclusion has been reached that it is impracticable to 

 lower the flood levels, all that can be done is to supplement, 

 reconstruct or strengthen and maintain these dykes under 

 a proper system of co-ordinated supervision and maintenance. 



The Min Eiver. 



The urgent problem here is to improve the accessibility 

 of the city of Foochow. At present foreign ships even of 

 moderate draught can only reach Pagoda Anchorage, some 

 8| miles below Foochow. Above this the river abounds in 

 shoals. Even at spring tides there is only about 12 feet 

 through depth. A regulation scheme is contemplated there 

 which will undoubtedly improve the conditions by guiding 

 the water into a constant and narrower channel. 



The Yaxgtse Kiang (including tlie Siang and Whangpoo). 



This enormous river drains some three-quarters of a 

 million square miles of country, discharges three million 

 cubic feet per second in time of full flood and is navigable 



